Part 5 (1/2)
A muscle ticked in his jaw, but he replied helpfully, ”I'll show you.”
He ushered me down a well-lit, narrow hallway that slanted down, taking us underground. With every step, the temperature became damper, cooler. The walls were plain, a little dirty, but there were no visible cameras or sensors. Still, both were there, I knew, watching our every move. I knew how Michael operated, and the man left nothing to chance. Even though security cameras were illegal without a proper license-which Michael didn't have because he didn't want anyone knowing his business-I knew they were here.
”What's with you and Adaire?” Ren asked, breaking the silence.
I didn't spare him a glance. ”What business is it of yours?”
”Lucius Adaire is a killer.”
I had to smile at that one. ”So am I. So are you, for that matter.”
”No, I mean a vicious killer. He'll kill anything. Women. Children. I'd watch my back if I were you.”
I didn't allow myself to react to his words. ”Well, you aren't me.” I still wore my sungla.s.ses, so I looked over them and leveled him with a pointed stare. ”Besides that, I always watch my back-even while I'm with you.”
The hallway finally ended. We stood in front of what looked like an average wall. Ren laid his hand against a corner section, and two panels opened. A disposable, computer-operated needle p.r.i.c.ked his index finger, and a small sample of blood was taken.
When the computer recognized his DNA, the wall-consisting of two steel plates-split down the middle, admitting us. I didn't know if Ren had spoken the truth about Lucius. The two men weren't friends, so there was a very real possibility Ren had embellished his story. However, I didn't like to think of Lucius as a killer of innocents-the very innocents I strove so hard to protect.
”Come on,” Ren grumbled, unhappy with the lack of reaction he'd gotten from me. He led me into a small room. One entire wall boasted a holoscreen that played out the happenings in the other room. I saw the small, plain blue room, the two wooden chairs. I sank into Observation's only chair, a padded stool, forcing Ren to stand beside me.
I watched as Lucius crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at a pale, trembling Sahara Rose-who wasn't speaking. She did whimper, though, but that didn't count. Her blue eyes were wide and watery, and she kept tugging on her light-colored hair.
Grinning, I glanced at the clock beside me.
Ten minutes, then I was going in.
Chapter.
5.
Five minutes down. Five minutes to go.
I almost hated for the ten minutes to end. Lucius was simply too entertaining. Screaming at Sahara Rose failed, so he tried cajoling. Intimidation through silence failed, so he switched to I'm-a-nice-man-and-you-can-tell-me-anything mode. Whenever he approached her, her trembling and sobbing increased, but she never spoke a word.
When at long last she began screaming hysterically, he turned his back to me. He reached up with one hand, looking as if he wanted to scratch his head. He flipped me off.
I laughed. Desperation clung to him, growing darker in his features, becoming heavier on his shoulders. The best thing, I had to admit, was that his antics kept my mind off EenLi and my own failure.
Another three minutes pa.s.sed with no results.
Lucius tried to hide it, but I caught several panicked glances at his wrist.w.a.tch. I had to choke back another round of laughter. I'd never been one to enjoy another's pain, butplease . Watching this hard-a.s.sed man flounder ranked right up there with consuming an entire bowl of sugar-covered peaches-my biggest weakness.
I glanced at the digital clock next to the screen. Only one minute to go. Lucius began to pace frantically, begging-actually begging-Sahara Rose to utter a single word. His eyebrow ring glinted in the light.
”Please,” he said, the word hard against his lips. ”Please, just say your name. Curse at me. Anything. I'll pay you. However much you want.”
She continued to tremble in her corner, lips pressed together, tears in her eyes. At least she'd stopped screaming.
”I'm begging you. Tell me your name. That's all you have to do. I'll leave, then. You'll never have to see me again.”
Five...four...three...two...
One.
I resisted the urge to jump up and shout. Lucius burst forth with a stream of curses so foul and black Sahara Rose nearly seized. She did sink into a faint, her hair fanning out around her.
”He's going to kill her,” Ren gasped. He whipped out his cell unit, and held the small black box to his lips. ”We need backup-”
I grabbed the unit and tossed it to the ground. The sound of cracking plastic greeted my ears.
Ren's mouth gaped open, and he blinked at me in shock. ”What the h.e.l.l did you do that for? I need to protect the suspect. She's-”
”Fine,” I said confidently. ”She's fine. He won't hurt her.”
”The h.e.l.l he won't.” Back and forth Ren paced, his agitation manifesting itself in the brisk way he moved. He jerked a hand through his hair. ”He's in a rage. He won't be able to control himself.”
”For G.o.d's sake, calm down, Ren. You're working yourself up over nothing. His anger is directed at me. Not Sahara Rose.”
”You?” He ground to a halt. A gleam of confusion entered his eyes, as if I'd spoken a foreign language and he needed to translate the words. ”I don't understand.”
”Nor do you need to.”
Gaze narrowing, Ren s.n.a.t.c.hed at the gun holstered at his side. I quickly laid a hand on his wrist. ”Lucius won't hurt me either,” I said.
”How the h.e.l.l do you know?”
I smiled sweetly. ”Woman's intuition.”
Lucius stormed from Sahara Rose's cell wearing an expression of utter violence. His eyes blazed bright blue, his cheeks glowed vivid red. His muscles were bunched and ready to spring into action. I laughed. Ren paled and blinked at me as if I were insane. Maybe I was. Who else would laugh in the face of such a man's fury?
He deserved it, though. He'd been so confident of his success. And he'd failed. I had the chance to show him up, to beat him. I laughed again. How fun this was going to be.
I'm not sure how many seconds pa.s.sed before Lucius stormed inside the observation room. Beside me, Ren froze in place. Lucius's gaze locked on mine. He braced his legs apart and fisted his hands at his sides.
I didn't even try to hide my amus.e.m.e.nt. ”You lost,” I said.
His eyes narrowed. ”That doesn't mean you'll win.”
”But it means you lost.”
He popped his jaw, but didn't respond.
”I'm going to enjoy this,” I said. ”A lot.” I unb.u.t.toned the first three b.u.t.tons of my s.h.i.+rt, causing the material to gape and reveal the lacy edges of my bra. Both men watched me, Ren with fascination-it didn't take much to douse his fear, did it?-and Lucius with fire. l.u.s.ty fire or black, angry fire? I wondered, as I pulled out my ponytail and combed my fingers through my hair. I licked my lips.
”I'll be back in five minutes,” I said.